Silver Hanukkah lamp. [Eastern Europe. Poland?], 19th century. Unique model evidently made by private order of a wealthy Jew.
Silver (unmarked), various techniques. Impressive artistic silversmith work.
Especially wide back panel, designed as an architectural model of the front of a fancy structure with a gate and arched windows. Possibly, made inspired by a known building (such as a synagogue or Beit Midrash).
At the center of the wall is a wide opening, flanked on both sides by four windows with doors and blinds which can be opened and closed. Pillars screwed unto the wall constitute a division between the doors and the windows, the two middle pillars are rounded and designed with leaf and floral patterns; the right pillar has place for the Shamash (missing). The openings (the gate and the windows) are cut from the back panel, and upon them are screwed decorated frames. At the top of each adorned frame stands an eagle. The top of the panel is bordered by a floral strip and a grated fence. At the front appears an oval tray. In its center stand cup-like oil fonts.
Clearly, much thought was invested in every detail of this Hanukkah lamp. Even its back is carefully designed and handsomely adorned [possibly, the artist's thought was that this way, since a Hanukkah lamp is usually placed by a window facing the street, the members of the household who see its back can enjoy its beauty as well]. The second side of the back-panel is covered entirely with attractive engravings, like a carpet of flowers and leaves. Even the ends of the screws are covered with nuts designed like flowers and incorporated in the floral carpet. The panel is supported in the back all along its width by two gilded reinforcement strips.
Height: 22 cm. Width: 48 cm. Good condition. Several missing nuts. Lacking Shamash (serving light).

Bridal attire, called the "Great Dress" [El-Keswa El-Kbira / Barbariska]. Morocco (Rabat or Tangier), [late 19th century / early 20th century].
These elaborate clothes called El-Keswa El-Kbira – The Great Dress - arrived in Morocco with the Spanish Jews who settled in the north of the country. They served the woman at her wedding and after her marriage were worn on festive occasions and on Jewish festivals.
The apparel is made of four parts: a large wrap-around skirt, a vest, a breastplate and another chest adornment, all made of crimson velvet fabric and decorated with gold embroidery and golden ribbons.
* The skirt, called a Zaltita (derived from the Spanish word giraldeta, meaning encompassing, is cut from several parts sewn together like a fan. The skirt is adorned with golden ribbons and golden embroidery on its lower corners. The width of the skirt along its bottom is 310 cm.
* The vest, called a Gombayz, has short sleeves. Along the opening at the front is a row of metal buttons. The neck opening, the shoulders and the shoulder blades are ornamented with golden ribbons. 50X75 cm.
* The breastplate, cut like a small tallit, called Katef in Arabic and Ponta in Spanish, is adorned with golden embroidery in vegetal patterns (on a cardboard lining). This part is the most elaborate and costly part of the whole attire therefore decorated by the most exclusive embroidery. 45X50 cm.
* Another adornment, also with rich golden embroidery, apparently also used to decorate the chest area. 42X60 cm.
Overall good condition. Some of the golden ribbons are detached. Damage to velvet. Minor tears and damage.
Literature: 1. The Lives of the Jews in Morocco, Aviva Muller-Lantzet (editor). The Israel Museum, 1983 (second edition), pp. 200-203.
2. Morocco, Jews and Art in a Muslim Land, Vivian B. Mann (editor), published by Merrell and the Jewish Museum of New York, 2000, pp. 134-136, 174-176.

Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae. Das ist Ein Reisebuch, Uber die ganze heilige Schrifft, in zwei Bücher getheilet. Printed by Paul Donat (in Vorlegung Ambrosii Kirchners. Magdeburg, Germany, 1597. German.
Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae [Travel book through Holy Scripture], by Heinrich Bünting, (1545-1606), a German pastor, theologian and cartographer, native of Hanover. This is one of the most important travel books, and when first published in 1581, provided the most comprehensive description of biblical geography available. Since then, it has been printed in several editions and has been translated into many languages.
The book describes the Holy Land by following the travels of various notable people from the Old and New Testaments.
Four parts (separate title pages for each part, with the exception of the first part): Part 1 is the longest and deals with the Old Testament recounting the travels of the Prophets, Kings, Judges and various other Biblical figures. Part 2, Itinerarium Noui Testamenti, describes the travels of Joseph, Maria and other figures from the New Testament. Part 3, Uber das Buch Josua, deals with the Book of Joshua; Part 4, De Monetis et Mensuris Sacrae Scripturae is about money and means of payment mentioned in the Holy Scriptures.
The book includes 12 maps (woodcuts), most double size (printed on two pages), depicting the world and Eretz Israel. Three of the maps are figurative maps drawn by Bünting: The first and most well known is the map which portrays the world in the shape of a cloverleaf with three points (the cloverleaf appears on the emblem of the city of Hanover, where Bünting was born). The triple cloverleaf represents three continents, Asia, Europe and Africa. In the center of the leaf, representing the center of the world is the city of Jerusalem. The second map presents the Asian continent in the shape of Pegasus (a winged horse that appears in Greek mythology). On the third map, the European continent is drawn in the shape of a queen wearing a cape and a crown (depicting the Phoenician princess, Europe).
In addition to these figurative maps, the book also contains more conventional maps: a map of the African continent, two world maps, four maps of Eretz Israel, a map of Jerusalem and a sketch of the Holy Temple.
Part 1: [14], 240, [7] pages (lacking another title page?); Part 2: [6], 102, [8], pages; Part 3: [1], 34, pages, [one empty]; Part 4: [6], 15, [2], 14-21 pages. Many mispaginations. Volume 30 cm. Stains, moth damage, minor tears. Some leaves (primarily with the maps), have ancient repairs – tears restored with glued paper. The first title page is detached and damaged, glued on paper for reinforcement. The maps are in fair condition. Most have stains and restored tears (ancient restorations). Some have cutoff margins. The cloverleaf map is detached, with stains, minor tears to margins, paper glued on folding mark. The margins of the queen-shaped map of Europe and the Pegasus map are slightly cutoff. Stains. Restored damage to the folding marks. Restorations with glued paper and tape (the Pegasus map has two strips of tape, 8 and 4 cm. long).
Original binding, with clasps for closing (one clasp is lacking).